Tease Me, Baby: A Reverse Harem High School Bully Romance (Silver Creek High Book 2)

by Belladona Cunning

  “Jess, please. It’s over between Alessandra and I. Just let me explain.” It sounds like he’s speaking the truth, but maybe over the last few years he’s just gotten superb at perfecting his lies. Why would Callum break it off with someone like Alessandra for someone like me? It makes no sense; therefore, it must not be true.

  I’m already shaking my head no, backing away from them. “Please, nothing. Just leave me alone, Callum. All of you—go away. We have nothing more to say to one another.”

  They can’t just expect me to forgive and forget. I can forgive many things, but that will take some time, if ever. And forgetting? No, I don’t think I can. It will always be there, deep inside me, festering like an infected, open wound.

  Callum doesn’t know this side of me. Deep down, he still thinks I’m this innocent little girl that fawns all over him. I was then, but I’m not that anymore. I’m a woman—a woman with a shitload of scorn filling her up.

  They may be the hottest guys to step into Silver Creek, but they’re still the guys that made my life a living Hell. It doesn’t matter if my body responds to their presence—my nipples pebbling to stiff, achy points, my core becoming so wet it saturates my panties. It’s just biology. A systematic reaction toward someone you find attractive. But just because you find someone attractive, doesn’t mean it’s smart if you act on your desires.

  It would take Hell freezing over before I do that.

  CHAPTER 5

  Do you think I’ll get into too much trouble if I pluck their eyeballs out of their head? Because I’m telling you, I don’t think those boys know what the word “no” means. Ever since this morning, I can feel their eyes watching me wherever I go. It doesn’t matter if I’m walking to my locker, or the bathroom, or even to my history class—where I know none of them are—I still feel them. Their presence is like a looming cloud that causes a festering sore of doubt to leech on my mind.

  I hate it.

  Hate every second.

  They were supposed to turn the other cheek and live life how they want, not stalk me with their fiery gazes.

  Pinching my fingers together, I eye Karma over my lunch. “But maybe just a little?”

  “No,” she deadpans. “You are not going to kick those guys in the crotch and run away like a little, sissy bitch.”

  I can tell she’s trying not to laugh, and you know what, so am I. It’s a heck of a lot better than the rage I felt this morning. The moment I caught sight of Carrie and heard those nasty comments, I wanted to tear her throat out.

  Raging bitch? Possibly. Do I care? Not a damn bit. People at this school need to realize when enough is enough, and I’m through allowing them to treat me any old way they please. The only thing holding me back previously was the truth still hiding away in the recesses of my mind, and the paranoia that everyone knew, but they were just waiting for the right time to bring it out. Now that it’s out in the open with the guys, I couldn’t care less. I’m as free as a baby bird leaving the nest for the first time.

  I have nothing to hide anymore. No big secret that might harm my family—my father and I, because Debra can go suck a donkey dick. People may say that what I went through isn’t something to hide, but they don’t know Silver Creek. This place is where the criminal will and can get off if he’s connected enough. And because Alessandra doesn’t like me, she would make sure her family got involved.

  If I knew who he was, that is. All I know about him is his smile and sadistic, glittering eyes beneath a ski mask. There were no outward tells of who he is, and I can’t even remember what his voice sounds like unless I think extremely hard. Even then, all I get are snippets of phrases he said to me and they’re muffled, altered.

  The only thing I’ve wanted for the past two years is for people to treat me like I’m a person, instead of an object to get their rocks off. Trust me, I’m no pushover. They give me shit; I give it right back. Tenfold. However, that doesn’t mean their incessant bullying doesn’t sting. Anyone who says the bite of their tormentors’ tongue doesn’t hurt them is a liar.

  People in this high school do not care what they do, as long as they fit in while doing it. It’s a desperate attempt to be seen by one of the “elite’s,” which if you ask me, is not that good of a thing to begin with. They’re assholes. Every single one of them.

  No person should have to change themselves just to make a splash with the “in” crowd. I don’t even know why people want to be included at all. Seems like a lot of useless work to me and I’d rather be me in the simplest form possible.

  Taking a bite of my cheese stick, I give her the look, then talk with my mouth full, “Are you sure about that?”

  She huffs a laugh. “One …” She holds her pointer finger up. Shit is about to get real if Karma brings out the fingers. “If you were to kick one, you’d have three coming at you. Two, they are all twice if not three times your size. Ellis, himself, can take you out, and he’s the smallest ass of the bunch.”

  Shaking my head, I push that thought trying to wiggle its way into the forefront of my mind. I blame it on their constant stares and meddling attitudes. Little fuckers know how to get under someone’s skin, and they don’t even know they’re doing it. Well, tease me, baby, because I’m ready to snub you four hard.

  “What’s three?” I know there’s a third reason. Karma always does things in threes.

  “Three?” she cackles, looking to the side as if she’s talking to someone else, and saying, “She wants to know what three is?” Afterward, she looks back at me, dead-eyed. “Number three is the fact you want to fuck them, maybe even date one of them; you most certainly don’t want to hurt them.”

  “I would never!” I release a fake gasp of outrage, over the sex not the D word. There would be nothing fake about that. “Dating? Yeah, right—when pigs fly, Karm.”

  Tilting her head to the side, she purses her lips and cocks a brow. “Uh-huh, sure. Keep telling yourself that.”

  I dismiss her then, eating the rest of my cheese stick. I fight hard not to roll my eyes at even the possibility of ever touching any of them again. I’m not clueless to say I don’t take notice in how hot they are, because someone would have to be blind not to see it. They practically waft “sexy times” from every pore in their bodies. And it’s a delicious smell, but terrible for someone’s health, but that’s beside the point.

  Before I got my head on straight Friday night, it was a possibility that I would have fucked one or all of them, but not now. There’s too much pain; too much heartache. And dating? Ha! I’m not looking to get in that deep again, because love is for suckers. With Callum, something tells me he wouldn’t stop at wanting me to want him—he’d want all of me.

  Yeah, that will not happen. I can look but I will not touch, talk, or even breathe in their direction with an invitation into my bed or shriveled up heart.

  Reaching over, I pick up my chocolate milk, shaking it. “That’s not going to happen, Karm. I just …” I sigh, defeated. “I can’t go there again; with any of them. Sex and no emotions are all I can offer someone, and the less I have to see that person, the better.” Except for rare occurrences, that is.

  “Jess, you are selling yourself short.” She furrows her brows. “You’re a kick ass best friend, so I know you’d be a kick ass girlfriend to one of them.”

  Girlfriend? Ha. How about no?

  Also, why is she pushing this? Doesn’t she hate them like I do?

  “The whore dating one of them?” A shrill cackle releases into the air from behind me. “That bitch wouldn’t know what dating is, even if it slapped her in her disgusting face.”

  Looking up at the ceiling, I silently curse. You hate me, don’t you?

  “No one asked you, Alessandra,” Karma snarls.

  “No one needed to, skank,” Alessandra shoots back as I crane my neck, glaring at her over my shoulder.

  I shouldn’t do this, but it’s too hard to resist. “Awe, did poor little Sandy get her heart broken?” I pucker my lips in exag
geration.

  Nothing happens at this school without bitch-face knowing about it. She’s at the top of the food chain; the crème de la crème, if you will, of mean girls. But the only thing I see is a sad, pathetic waste of space that gets her kicks on hitting anyone that’s down on their luck.

  I swear, that’s how she got popular. Besides the filling out and losing her braces and glasses bit, Alessandra terrorized a girl so badly she’s probably still in that psych hospital upstate. Ever since then, people have been too afraid to go against her or the other queen bees. But not me. There are scarier things hiding under my bed I need to fear than Alessandra Lennox.

  She may think she’s the queen of this school, but she’s just a pawn playing the elite’s game.

  Her eyes narrow on mine. She puffs her chest out, making her look more substantial than she really is. “It’s only a matter of time before Callum comes to his senses, or have you forgotten?” She shoots a secretive smirk toward me.

  Ice enters my veins and I stiffen in the seat. Alessandra doesn’t have to say it, because it’s all I’ve been thinking about all weekend. Callum chose her twice, what’s stopping him from going back to her again.

  “Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night,” I reply nonchalantly, keeping my calm to appear unaffected.

  “Tell me,” she whispers, stepping closer. “How did you get the guys to believe your pitiful rape story?”

  I almost don’t believe I heard what she said right. It isn’t until the girls behind her snicker amongst themselves that I know. But, how does she? All people know at this school is that I “cheated” on Callum when I was a freshman. They don’t know I was raped. The only people who do is the person sitting across from me at the lunch table, then the four assholes sitting at the elite table.

  “What?” Horror coats my eyes as I peer into her triumphant ones.

  “Oh, did you think he wouldn’t tell me your pathetic attempt at saving face? Please, that boy tells me everything.”

  I don’t want to believe her, but how else could she know.

  Dismissing her completely, my eyes shoot over to the table housing the elite’s and Varsity football team. My eyes prick with tears I refuse to allow freedom as I scan the table. All of them are talking amongst themselves, laughing, rough-housing, and having a good time. But it’s Callum’s eyes that break away from our star quarterback to pin me with his stare, as if he could feel my gaze on him and couldn’t help the pull of our connection.

  My breathing quickens, my chest feeling like it’s about to cave in one itself. His brows quirk slightly before his gaze rises to the bitch standing behind me. He sits there, indifferent toward the guys trying to get his attention, and continues to stare at her. Just when I think my heart is about to punch out of my ribs, his eyes connect with mine, a small, genuine smile tilting his lips.

  Peering into his bright emerald eyes, the tension in my shoulders dissipate. It’s been so long since I’ve seen that look on his face being directed toward me. It’s almost tear worthy. There’s just something about his harsh jawline, penetrating eyes, and intimidating stature that softens around the edges when true emotions rise to the surface. It’s ethereal.

  Then, it all comes crashing down when he breaks our connection to stare at Alessandra. He gives her a chin-jerk, beckoning her over to him. The entire time, he never once loses that smile. His eyes are darker and more dangerous, but still it stays plastered to his lips. Is he serious right now? My teeth grind against one another. Better question, why do I fucking care?

  Raging claws of jealousy and fury shred at my innards. It tears and rips through my lungs, my heart—every organ in my body—as I can do nothing but sit by, watching in revulsion as she makes her way toward him. She has a bounce to her step and even glances back over her shoulder with a triumphant grin plastered on her medically enhanced lips. I wish I could slap it off her face.

  My heart sinks even further when he scoots his chair out, the sound grating inside my ears. I watch her sit down in his lap like it’s her right, then practically curl herself around him like a cat in heat. Didn’t he tell me twice now it was over between the two of them? If it were over, there would be no way Alessandra Lennox, bitch of the south, would sit in his lap. There would also be no way he would allow her to kiss on his jaw, nibble on his neck, and whisper disgusting-nothings into his ear.

  If it were true, he wouldn’t be doing the same. He also wouldn’t be wrapping his arm around her waist. He says a particular something to her that causes her to stiffen, but just as quick, it makes her giggle playfully and slap his chest. Fucking bastard.

  More tears prick my eyes, and I sit, cursing the emotions to Hell and back. I should feel nothing at the sight in front of me. It’s not like I didn’t know already.

  “Um, Jess, do you want to get out of here?” I hear Karma whisper.

  The only thing I do is nod, because the lump in my throat won’t allow me to voice my acceptance. I hate the way I feel right now, like my girlish hormones are making me feel these crazy things, and my mind is just along for the ride. It’s bullshit is what it is, and I don’t care what I have to do, I will beat this into submission.

  Nothing Callum does from now on will breach this wall of ice I have around my heart.

  Gathering our things, my eyes meet Callum’s once more, and I can’t stop the look of disgust twisting my features. He has the audacity to look torn, hurt—his body stiff under hers while she starts animatedly telling everyone at the table a story. It’s probably how she painted her nails Pepto pink instead of coral. Seriously, that’s how vapid she is.

  My eyes leave his to stare and trek to the others. I see all of them looking toward him with what I want to describe as alarm, but I can’t be too sure. You know what, don’t quote me on that. I haven’t been right when it pertains to the guys so far, so I have no doubt I wouldn’t be wrong now.

  No matter what Callum’s choice is, they will all go along with what he says. It just sucks that none of them have a bit of honor and decency in their bodies. It’s like they lack a backbone, which is not attractive at all. You know, if I was a petty bitch, I’d fuck all three of them, then rub it in his face. But I’m not going to do that, because getting involved with them, means eventually, I must face Callum, and right now, the sight of him makes me sick.

  My abrupt movement has their eyes all turn in synchronization toward me, lips turning down in matching frowns. But I dismiss all of them and sling my bag over my shoulder. I grab my tray, then my backpack and dump it before pushing through the doors and leaving their sight altogether.

  It takes everything in me not to run. Not out of embarrassment or humiliation at being proven right, I couldn’t care less about that. It’s because Callum’s action got to me more than it was supposed to. I want to run because nothing he does should mess with my head enough that it feels like I need to close myself off more. That should be all me, and my need to keep people as far away from me as possible.

  If my decision wasn’t iron-clad before, it sure as shit is now. Those elite kings will receive nothing from me but indifference. I will go back to how I was before they showed up, and you know what—I think the best place to do that is by finally stepping out on a ledge. I’ve been under their thumb since the beginning of school, and I’m tired of it. Tonight, I will hit up that gentlemen’s club just outside town and find me a man.

  Callum wants to get his kicks? That’s fine. Let him. It’s no skin off my ass how far down the rabbit hole he goes with that particular brand of psycho.

  Because I’m going to get fucked two ways from Sunday, and the furthest thing from my mind will be what Callum is doing.

  CHAPTER 6

  It may not be the smartest idea I’ve ever had, but I wouldn’t go as far to say it’s the dumbest.

  The scene is lively; walls jarring to the deep thud of music. Scantily clad women sensually slide against men, grinding, seducing. There are more tits on display here than a brothel, and that’s
truly something.

  Let me just start off by saying this is not a freaking gentlemen’s club, okay. Not in the slightest. No man comes here to smoke cigars, play cards, and bullshit around with others they have a lot in common with.

  When I think of a gentlemen’s club, I think rooms filled with dense smoke, smelling of Columbian cigars. Tumblers of the best whiskey, scotch, cognac, and any other dark liquor you can think of to grace a person’s lips. I see suits; men wearing thousand-dollar get-ups with their ties undone around the collar. They relax after a hard day’s work, and this is how they unwind. I can even hear deep, rugged laughter as their friends say something ludicrously funny about bottom-lines and hostile takeovers.

  They have duped all the citizens of Silver Creek. This is a strip joint, catering to the rich and preposterously richer. There’s nothing gentlemanly about it. At least, no one is having sex, so that’s a plus.

  As if on cue, a particularly loud moan draws my attention to the right. When I turn my head in that direction, a flush spreads over my body, starting with my burning cheeks.

  I think I’ll retract my earlier statement. There’s a dude, head thrown back in ecstasy, as he gets a blow job from one of the strippers. And, you know what? I can’t help but stare at the scene unfolding in front of me. It’s wrong, I know. But it’s insanely fucking hot.

  Rubbing my thighs together, I try to settle the ache between my legs. I watch his cock disappear into her throat, repeatedly. There is a vein in the side of his neck that’s pulsating with the rapid beat of his heart. His fingers tunnel into her drugstore, box-dyed hair, clenching as she swallows him whole over and over again. My nipples tighten into hard buds, my clit pounds to the music, and it leaves me in a daze of lust as I stare at the couple entrancing my gaze.

  As if he can feel someone watching him, his dark eyes open, locking with mine. A hot grin tugs at the corner of his lips as his face screws up in pleasure. His eyes rake over me, causing a shiver of awareness to tingle throughout my body when he licks his lips in obvious interest.